Note: To complete these reviews I was given a free copy of both Rocket French and Frantastique. All links on this page are affiliate programs, so I'll make some pocket money if you buy. (You get everything at the normal price though.)

French language course reviews

What's the best way to learn French?

Of all the language-learning products I've tried, Rocket French is in my opinion the most well-balanced, well thought through of them all. The heart of the course is an "interactive audio course" which is similar to other audio courses with the idea that it teaches through conversations, and through repetition. Where Rocket French differs, though, is that the lessons are actually interesting, and often rather funny.

Each lesson is around twenty minutes long, which allows me to knock one lesson off on my way to work. The audio is clear, and the lessons teach you practical language skills like booking a hotel room — and even flirting! — while still giving you a good grounding in grammar.

Beyond the audio lessons, there's also a well-constructed grammar course (with audio), and software games to practice those skills. You can record yourself for instant feedback on your pronunciation — really important when you're self-teaching. It improves your listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing skills, so you end up with full fluency... rather than just a few phrases stuffed up your sleeve.

Best of all, it caters to all learning styles, and compared with the other offerings out there it is very good value for money.

Pros

Fantastic value for the price. Comes with a fun and effective audio crash course (good if you're going on vacation) as well as a more comprehensive grammar course, so you don't need to buy them separately. No subscription fees — it's a one-off purchase. Free updates for life. Web-based software works on both PC and Mac. Fully-featured separate app for iOS and Android works on phones and tablets. Free trial.

Cons

Only available online. (Digital download and physical versions with free international shipping available.)

If you want to work on your French grammar and vocabulary (rather than survival phrases for taking on vacation), and you enjoy a bit of offbeat humor, then Frantastique is incredibly fun and worth a look.

The course material is structured around an increasingly ridiculous story plot that involves French-speaking aliens and a naked Victor Hugo. (Don't worry — his beard covers everything!) There are cartoons and silly videos, and you’ll be giggling the whole time.

But underneath the silliness there’s a solid French grammar course with clever algorithms that adapt material to your skill level as you complete exercises.

The format of the course is a little different: Instead of giving you all the material at once, it's drip-fed to you a little bit each day. This "little and often" approach is really good for building good habits and allowing your brain to absorb the material, but it might be offputting for anyone who wants to "binge" on their French course.

(It might also be a bit frustrating when you consider Frantastique is a paid monthly subscription.)

Pros

Hugely entertaining, if you're not put off by semi-naked cartoon characters. (It would also be good for teenagers, I think.) Smart algorithm adapts to your level after the initial "training" period. A wide range of exercises make it actually pretty fun to learn French grammar.

Cons

It’s not designed for complete beginners to learning French — the material is taught exclusively in French (although with English translations available), so it’s best if you’ve already done a tiny bit of French study already.

There isn’t much focus on pronunciation, but the course does highlight differences between different flavors of French — most notably, between French-French and Canadian-French.

It's a monthly subscription rather than a one-off purchase. But this means you can see if you like it without spending a whole lot of money.

If you really enjoy learning through podcasts, then FrenchPod101 has arguably the largest collection of French-learning podcasts online.

I have not personally been through their full collection so I can’t attest to the quality of the lessons in higher levels, but the introductory podcasts I reviews seem to follow the pattern of:

Introduce an intimidating conversation

Break it down into component parts

Focus on pronunciation by breaking it down syllable by syllable

Put it all back together again

And along the way, discuss important grammar or vocabulary points related to the conversation

This is similar to the pattern that Rocket French follows in their interactive audio course.

FrenchPod101 is another monthly subscription product. They have different pricing levels depending on whether you just want the podcasts, or whether you want to include all the online interactive tools: exercises, flash cards and line-by-line conversation breakdowns.

At the “Premium” all-inclusive level, if you think you’ll use it for more than three months, it might be better value to consider Rocket French instead. (Similar features, but a one-off purchase.)

Pros

Huge array of podcasts, ranging from extreme beginner to advanced. At higher pricing levels you can also use interactive tools online.

Cons

The monthly subscription becomes quite expensive when used over the long term. (But they go on sale quite often. Sign up for their free trial so that you know when the sales start, so you can grab a good deal.)

Rosetta Stone's French products are pure "acquisition" method tools. That is... they don't make you learn grammar or vocabulary lists, they just throw you in the deep end and allow you to "absorb" the language by seeing it used in context with pictures and audio — in much the same way as we learn our mother tongue as children (in theory).

In addition to this core learning methodology, the new online version of Rosetta Stone also includes one-on-one lessons with tutors via webcam (webcam and internet connection required), and a bunch of games that you can play by yourself or with other logged in Rosetta Stone users.

Using Rosetta Stone gives you a great sense of accomplishment — it's easy to feel like you're making a lot of progress. But the reliance on visual cues to help you recognize words and phrases only goes so far. There are a lot of words and concepts in life that cannot easily be represented in a photo, so your knowledge of French will typically be limited to pretty shallow observations. ("The girl drinks water...")

I consider Rosetta Stone a fun tool for learning vocabulary. It's not very challenging, and it's probably quite suitable for children due to it's game-like nature. But if you're serious about becoming fluent in French you won't be able to rely on Rosetta Stone alone.

Pros

Fun and game-like. Good for making you feel like you're doing well. Good for some vocabulary. No nasty verb tables or wrapping your head around grammar.

Cons

Won't make you fluent in French (sorry). Expensive for the amount of French you'll learn (although the online version delivers better value). Pretty "generic" — the same images and conversations are undoubtedly used for all their languages, without any references to French culture. Not very good for improving your spoken French.

Pimsleur is another old-timer in the language learning stakes. Like Rosetta Stone, most of the products in the "something for everyone" Pimsleur range work on an "acquisition" style approach where you don't explicitly learn any grammar. You just absorb the patterns of speech as you work though the conversations.

The core idea is that most people only use around 2000 words in their every day lives, and each Pimsleur level (there are three levels for French) teaches around 500 words and clocks in at 16 hours. The conversations build on themselves and on things you've learned earlier.

Pimsleur also offer a range of "conversational" courses at a lower price. Some of these are just the first few lessons from the main courses. If you want to try these out, have a peek at the ones available with a free Audible.com trial. You can get a feel for what it's like and save yourself a few bucks if you don't like it.

I consider Pimsleur a good bet if you're interested in improving your pronunciation and mastering a few phrases to help you get by while on holiday. But if you're interested in having more in-depth conversations with French speakers, you're probably best to use it in conjunction with a textbook that teaches you the mechanics of the language.

Pros

Lessons are broken into convenient 30 minute blocks. Great for pronunciation. The new digital download (mp3) versions provides better value than the traditional CD sets.

Cons

Doesn't really teach grammar. Won't give you an in-depth understanding of the language. Quite "dry" and a little bit dull. Expensive for the amount of French you will learn in each level.

Recommendations?

A French course is only going to work if you actually use it. So regardless of what I’ve said here, if there’s one course that you really love to use — do it!

If you like learning through audio courses and podcasts (e.g., when you’re commuting, or at the gym) then FrenchPod101 or Rocket French are good bets. Rocket French has a full interactive audio course with a full grammar course included, while FrenchPod101 is all about the podcasts, with the option to add-on extra stuff if you want it.

If you want to improve your pronunciation, Pimsleur and FrenchPod101 get high marks for making you repeat things a whole lot. Rocket French includes a voice recognition tool that lets you know when your pronunciation is “good enough”.

If you’re only going to buy one, in my opinion Rocket French offers the best all-in-one package. It’s very reasonably priced for what you get, and it’s a one-off purchase for lifetime access so you’re not being stung with monthly fees.